The great success of the Spaniards and Portuguese in both Indies had excited a spirit of emulation in England; and as the progress of commerce, still more that of colonies, is slow and gradual, it was happy that a war in this critical period had opened a more flattering prospect to the avarice and ambition of the English, and had tempted them, by the view of sudden and exorbitant profit, to engage in naval enterprises.

A fleet of twenty sail was equipped to attack the Spaniards in the West Indies: two thousand three hundred volunteers, besides seamen, engaged on board of it; Sir Francis Drake was appointed admiral; Christopher Carlisle, commander of the land forces.
{1586.} They took St.Jago, near Cape Verde, by surprise; and found in it plenty of provisions, but no riches.

They sailed to Hispaniola; and easily making themselves masters of St.Domingo by assault, obliged the inhabitants to ransom their houses by a sum of money.

Carthagena fell next into their hands, after some more resistance, and was treated in the same manner.

They burnt St.Anthony and St.Helens, two towns on the coast of Florida.